Black slates and Redcliffs

Today seven of us (Brian, Clyde, Dean, Gary, Sean, Stan and myself) met at Quidi Vidi to do a car shuttle to Middle Cove.  We drove to beautiful ...

Middle Cove Beach where we were the only people on the beach as we loaded our kayaks for the return paddle to Quidi Vidi.

We were pleased to see Stan for his first paddle of the year.  Stan has been preoccupied with other things lately that has cut into his kayaking.  One of those things is photography, which you can check out on his site.

The rest of the crew put-in and we were on our way ...

... to check out the black slate cliffs of the St.. John's Formation on the east side and ...

... the caves the sea has carved into the cliffs.  It was just after 10:00 am.  The sun was in our faces as we made out way in an easterly direction but here, under the 200 foot high cliffs we were out of the sun.  The colours captured by the camera were richer.

We poked into both caves that meet further in but couldn't be traversed today in the high water.

The numerous caves en route to Outer Cove didn't attract much further attention today so we rounded Ship Cove Point and paddled into Outer Cove.  Paddling the two kilometers along the east side of the cove we came to ...

 ... Torbay Point.  Points of land are always interesting in terms of conditions.  Torbay Point did not disappoint today either as we paddled between the point and an offshore rock before turning out bows south under the imposing cliffs of the ...

... headland of Shooting Point Cove and Redcliff in the distance.

There were still only half way to our destination of Quidi Vidi.  There were more massive caves to explore along the remaining 10 kilometers and a lunch stop with seal launches.